McAuliffe vetoes Bell's virtual schools bill

Gov. Terry McAuliffe Tuesday vetoed legislation setting up a statewide virtual school program, saying the legislation would create a new executive branch outside the jurisdiction of the state Board of Education, local school divisions and school boards.

The legislation, sponsored by Del. Dickie Bell, R-Staunton, would have set up a full-time virtual school network that would have been available to as many as 5,000 Virginia K-12 students starting in 2018-19.